Epidemiological reports show that (1)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, """"""""Ecstasy"""""""") continues to be used by large fractions of young adults. Studies have further suggested that up to 40 percent of users become at least temporarily dependent on MDMA, experienced users abuse an array of other substances and may abuse MDMA several times per week or even daily. It is also known that some Ecstasy users exhibit lasting cognitive and mood alterations, even years after discontinuing Ecstasy use. Nevertheless, in comparison with structurally related drugs such as amphetamine and methamphetamine minimal animal research has been devoted to understanding the determinants of repeated MDMA self-administration. Initial work has shown that MDMA appears to be a weak reinforcer compared with other psychomotor stimulants, thus additional study of factors which create a transition to frequent or compulsive MDMA use is needed. The hypothesis that differences in the self administration of MDMA are related to the increased serotonergic agonist properties of MDMA is supported by prior observations that drugs which increase serotonergic tone may decrease self- administration of psychomotor stimulants. Such work will not only contribute to understanding the development of MDMA/Ecstasy abuse but may generalize to understanding factors which influence which of a minority of individuals exposed to other psychomotor stimulants will eventually transition to dependence. The proposed studies will use rat intravenous self-administration models to test factors which may underlie a transition from casual to compulsive Ecstasy use. The experiments will first examine methodological variables such as training dose, route of administration and duration of access session that have not been systematically addressed for MDMA self-administration. Additional studies will examine situational factors intended to model the human user milieu (such as high ambient temperature and hyperthermia, running wheel activity and exposure to a serotonin-depleting high dose regimen of MDMA) which may facilitate a transition to dependence.

Public Health Relevance

Approximately 15-20 percent of young adults have used the recreational drug 3,4-methylenedioxy- methamphetamine (MDMA, known as """"""""Ecstasy"""""""") and many of these users become dependent on Ecstasy while using;clinically significant symptoms of depression and anxiety, and poor cognitive performance can persist years after discontinuing Ecstasy use. Furthermore, in the US about 8,500 individuals per year have critical hyperthermia, seizure and other medical symptoms requiring emergency medical intervention after Ecstasy use. The proposed studies seek to determine situational and neurochemical factors which may increase use of this recreational drug and/or facilitate a transition from casual use to dependence.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01DA024105-01A2
Application #
8063456
Study Section
Biobehavioral Regulation, Learning and Ethology Study Section (BRLE)
Program Officer
Thomas, David A
Project Start
2011-02-01
Project End
2015-11-30
Budget Start
2011-02-01
Budget End
2011-11-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$330,426
Indirect Cost
Name
Scripps Research Institute
Department
Type
DUNS #
781613492
City
La Jolla
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
92037
Aarde, Shawn M; Huang, Pai-Kai; Taffe, Michael A (2017) High ambient temperature facilitates the acquisition of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) self-administration. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 163:38-49
Aarde, Shawn M; Taffe, Michael A (2017) Predicting the Abuse Liability of Entactogen-Class, New and Emerging Psychoactive Substances via Preclinical Models of Drug Self-administration. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 32:145-164
Nguyen, J D; Bremer, P T; Hwang, C S et al. (2017) Effective active vaccination against methamphetamine in female rats. Drug Alcohol Depend 175:179-186
Nguyen, Jacques D; Grant, Yanabel; Creehan, Kevin M et al. (2017) Escalation of intravenous self-administration of methylone and mephedrone under extended access conditions. Addict Biol 22:1160-1168
Nguyen, Jacques D; Aarde, Shawn M; Cole, Maury et al. (2016) Locomotor Stimulant and Rewarding Effects of Inhaling Methamphetamine, MDPV, and Mephedrone via Electronic Cigarette-Type Technology. Neuropsychopharmacology 41:2759-71
Nguyen, Jacques D; Aarde, Shawn M; Vandewater, Sophia A et al. (2016) Inhaled delivery of ?(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to rats by e-cigarette vapor technology. Neuropharmacology 109:112-120
Aarde, Shawn M; Miller, Michelle L; Creehan, Kevin M et al. (2015) One day access to a running wheel reduces self-administration of D-methamphetamine, MDMA and methylone. Drug Alcohol Depend 151:151-8
Creehan, Kevin M; Vandewater, Sophia A; Taffe, Michael A (2015) Intravenous self-administration of mephedrone, methylone and MDMA in female rats. Neuropharmacology 92:90-7
Taffe, Michael A; Creehan, Kevin M; Vandewater, Sophia A (2015) Cannabidiol fails to reverse hypothermia or locomotor suppression induced by ?(9) -tetrahydrocannabinol in Sprague-Dawley rats. Br J Pharmacol 172:1783-91
Aarde, Shawn M; Creehan, Kevin M; Vandewater, Sophia A et al. (2015) In vivo potency and efficacy of the novel cathinone ?-pyrrolidinopentiophenone and 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone: self-administration and locomotor stimulation in male rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 232:3045-55

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